Life + Culture

Sincere Thanks, Made Simple

A guide to the lost art of the thank you card Article by Amanda Wagner Thank you cards can feel like a lost art, but expressing thanks is an essential courtesy that acknowledges another person’s effort and thoughtfulness. By recognizing someone's generosity, you are encouraging a spirit of kindness while demonstrating grace and emotional intelligence. A verbal thank you is appropriate to acknowledge a small kindness and to show immediate appreciation, but, oftentimes, a written thank you is...

Education

Festive Holiday Container

Build your own holiday planter with Family Tree in Liberty Article and Photography by Cyrus Logan Every November, Family Tree Nursery in Liberty transforms its retail store into a winter wonderland. The store is thoughtfully decorated with themed Christmas trees that showcase both unique and trending designs. The showrooms are filled with permanent garlands, wreaths, and holiday picks, along with a wide array of ornaments and decorations. But the enchanting Christmas experience doesn't end...

Food + Beverage

A Rush of Gratitude

The Rush brothers are Kansas City basketball royalty Article by Angela Broockerd | Photography by Janie Jones Photography There’s something about Kansas City that breeds hometown pride and loyalty. It’s a city with deep roots, strong families, and the love of all things local, whether it's jazz, barbecue, sports, locally crafted items or beloved legends. For the Rush brothers, JaRon, Kareem and Brandon, those roots ran deep enough to take three boys from the inner city to basketball greatness...

Food + Beverage

Bridging History and Good Times

The new Rock Island Bridge project is a one-of-a-kind space Article by Diana Lambdin Meyer | Photography by Bruce N. Meyer When, if ever, have you watched a competitive rowing event in person? Or enjoyed the creativity of plein air painting at 40 feet above a river? Or just sipped a cold one while wild ducks paddle below your feet? We can now do these things and many more in a long-awaited fun new place, thanks to the imagination and indomitable spirit of one of Kansas City’s Northlanders. ...

Life + Culture

A Guide to Giving

If you’re looking to give back this holiday season, start close to home Article by Katie Currid It’s the season of giving, and while these organizations are there all year ‘round, you might be looking at ways you can give back during the holidays. While there are plenty of organizations that could use your help, we picked a few right in our backyard, most of them based right here in the Northland, so you can give where you live. Whether you prefer to donate objects or money or time, any of...

Travel

Spooky Spots

Take a road trip near or far to destinations with stories to tell Article and Photography by Tiffany Killoren If there’s something strange in your neighborhood | If there’s something weird and it don’t look good … No need to call a ghostbuster. The sites below are part of our area’s rich history and lore — places that continue to draw visitors from near and far with their rich stories, striking architecture, and compelling ties to the past. If you love a good ghost story this time of year...

Food + Beverage

A Gathering Place

Prima Facie in Parkville is serving more than just food — it's fostering community Article by Katie Currid | Photography by Hannah Schreiner Heather and Leon Versfeld didn’t exactly set out to open a restaurant when they bought a building in Parkville in 2022.  The space was initially purchased for Leon’s law firm, Versfeld & Hugo. Because it had extra space, a great location and a drive-up window from being a former bank, Heather suggested they add a coffee shop. Leon, ever the visionary...

Local Services

Fighting Food Waste

Kanbe’s community-rooted food access model celebrates expansion into the Northland Article by Patrick Mulvihill | Photography by Anna Petrow If you told Max Kaniger a decade ago that he’d soon be running one of the region’s fastest-growing and most impactful nonprofits, he might not have believed you. But a simple yet substantial idea he had in 2015 sparked Kanbe’s Markets, an organization that just opened its 100th location — to build a more inclusive food system by transforming food loss...

Food + Beverage

Black Flamingo Mai Tai

Article and Photography by Katie Currid If you stop by the Waterman’s Black Flamingo Underground Oasis in Northtown, chances are they’ll serve you this drink. Tiki isn't all about cocktails, but they’re definitely a part of the experience. Mai Tais can sometimes be a divisive topic among tiki aficionados, and this one adheres more closely to the original Mai Tai, meaning it's more rum-focused and doesn’t include pineapple juice, so it isn't overly sweet. Careful — it’s a stiff one!  Black...

Home + Design

Basement Oasis

The Black Flamingo home tiki bar is a full-on tropical escape Article and Photography by Katie Currid In tornado alley, a basement is a must. And if you have to go down to the basement for the inevitable tornado watch or warning, Jordan and Morgan Waterman’s house is the place to do it. Because if you have to shelter from the storm — well, wouldn’t you want to do it in a tiki bar? Pull up to Jordan and Morgan’s 1920s house in their quiet Northtown neighborhood, and you wouldn’t suspect...